The vertical and horizontal distribution of nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPEOn, n = number of ethoxy units) and their derivatives in the Upper Nansi Lake, North China, were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography‐tandem
mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) methods. For the water-phase concentrations of these compounds, data are omitted because of their low concentration levels. The content of NPEOn (n = 1 to 15) bound onto the sediment of this lake changed in the range of 60.7 to 631.5 μg/kg
dry for sediment cores with a thickness up to 350 mm. A typical increasing trend of the nonylphenol (NP) content was revealed along the water flow direction of this lake. Carbonated NPEOn (NPEnC) showed an increasing trend from upstream to downstream, with the total concentrations
of the NPEOn falling in the range of 2.13 to 23.1 μg/kg dry. Results indicate that this lake received some effluent from wastewater treatment plants, whose treatment ratios are relatively low in this area. The nonoxidative hydrolytic transformation is a significant process occurring
within the sediment phase of Nansi Lake.

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Water Environment Research (WER) publishes peer-reviewed research papers, research notes, state-of-the-art and critical reviews on original, fundamental and applied research in all scientific and technical areas related to water quality, pollution control, and management. An annual Literature Review provides a review of published books and articles on water quality topics from the previous year. Published as: Sewage Works Journal, 1928 - 1949; Sewage and Industrial Wastes, 1950 - 1959; Journal Water Pollution Control Federation, 1959 - Oct 1989; Research Journal Water Pollution Control Federation, Nov 1989 - 1991; Water Environment Research, 1992 - present.